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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Earlier this week, I eluded to the fact that I've been writing up a storm lately. Well, one of the stories that I am currently working on is very near and dear to my heart. The story is called the The Twins of Er and Est. And the reasons that it is near and dear to me are many: 1. The two main characters of the story, Barry and Larry, are the actual names of my dad and Uncle Larry. 2. My Uncle Larry passed away two years ago-very young and so sad. And 3. Because I'm always looking for books that I can use in the classroom to teach certain skills. And, ofcourse, this book will illustrate the uses of the suffixes "er" and "est".

In many ways, this is your typical twins book.

In the beginning of the story, Barry and Larry are introduced as twins. And, ofcourse, they hate being the same. Been there. Done that. Yawn.

In the middle, the twins do find their differences. Again. Been there. Done that. Yawn.

The major difference with my twin book and other twin books, is that it's not just an opportunity to teach twins that they're special-And, honestly, I think they are. This book is special because it's also an opportunity for teachers to have a book that constantly uses "er" and "est".

And speaking as a teacher in the primary grades, I love using picture books to reinforce lessons. It's like killing multiple, imaginary birds with one stone. Not only am I teaching "er" and "est", but I'm also demonstrating fluency and modeling comprehension. And what can be better than that?

In short, this mansucript is a teacher's dream.(maybe tooting a little too much) It's fun. It's educational. And you get a lot of bang for your buck. And let's face it, teachers and parents don't have a lot of extra bucks just lying around these days.

So my question to you is this, do you just write what comes to you? Or, do you think about things like tying your stories into certain academic standards? Because believe me, that's where the sales are. Teachers and parents DO want entertaining books, but they also want their children to learn in the process. So get on the education express, people. It's a fun ride!(This message is supported by this aspiring writer mama/teacher.)

Saturday, September 25, 2010

In 1965, psychoanalyst and social scientist, Elliot Jaques, coined the popular phrase "mid-life crisis" which medterms.com describes as," A period of personal emotional turmoil and coping challenges that some people encounter when they reach middle age, accompanied by a desire for change in their lives, brought on by fears and anxieties about growing older."

Well, today, I'd like to introduce a new medical term that is especially relevant to writers who start writing during mid-life. I call this form of mental illness "mid-life write this".

People who suffer from 'mid-life write this' are people who did not go to college to pursue a writing career, but realized during mid-life, that writing was their ultimate calling.These individuals are the worst of the mentally ill, because they have chosen to willfully submit themselves to constant critique, wake up in the middle of the night to jot down story ideas and character descriptions, stop people in the middle of conversations and say things like 'that'd be a good idea for a book' or 'you'd make an interesting character for my latest mansucript', and flat-out drive their spouses crazy because they're always writing.

Be advised.These people should not be approached while they are writing. That would be the equivalent of poking a bear while they are enjoying a beehive full of golden honey.

And if you happen to stumble upon one of these people talking about their latest manuscript,run for your life. Otherwise, they will show you multiple drafts of their latest PB and ask for your feedback, try to rope you into following their blog, and attempt to get you to follow them on twitter.

It's best to walk away from these individuals while you still can. They're already too far gone for your help. And, treatment would be futile. Save yourself.

Are you new to writing and blogging, and want to be a part of something big and bold? Head on over to Rachel Harrie's blog and join the inaugural writers' platform. It's a great opportunity to meet people that think and dream like you. And maybe, just maybe,you'll increase your own following at the same time. What have you got to lose? http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2010/09/rach-writes-inaugural-writers-platform.html

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain

For those of you who have wondering where I have been lately, this quote really sums it up. For the past two months, I've been in hot pursuit of those elusive, lightning words. And while I really enjoy blogging about my writing journey, actual writing is my number one priority. And I'm proud to say,that I've been knee deep in ink and paper lately.

I really hope that I haven't lost too many of you during my little hiatus from the blog, because I have a lot of interesting topics in the works. So, stay tuned for more Super Science Saturdays and informative writing topics. I promise that there will be something here for everyone. And you wouldn't want to miss it, would you?